Horns cruise in ‘throwback’
AUSTIN — The Texas fans who packed into Gregory Gym for Saturday's “throwback game” against UTRGV couldn't get enough of Dillon Mitchell's one-man dunk contest.
The 6-foot-8 freshman springs off the hardwood like it's a trampoline, eyes level with the rim, condor wings stretching near the top of the backboard. Most of the 3,5000 in attendance for the Leon Black Classic rose right out of their seats for all three of Mitchell's explosive first-half hammers as No. 4 Texas (5-0) cruised to a 91-54 win over UTRGV (4-3) inside the one-time home of Longhorn hoops.
The former five-star recruit puts on a thrilling aerial show, but it's what typically occurs beforehand that really stokes coach Chris Beard's fire.
Two of Mitchell's dunks came off steals. The other was sparked by a defensive rebound, laser-quick outlet pass and well-placed lob from guard Marcus Carr.
“We wanted to win the turnover battle, and we did,” Beard said. “We forced turnovers on them and fed off it. Our best offense tonight was our defense. And we wanted to outrebound them. In the second half, we really controlled the glass.”
Texas scored 28 points off 22 turnovers. The Vaqueros generated six points off 11 turnovers. And the Longhorns won the rebounding battle 45-40.
That's been a throughline for Texas all season, an array of heady guards and athletic finishers controlling the glass, pushing the tempo, flipping live-ball turnovers into uncontested transition dunks and layups.
Mitchell has been the soaring showstopper on so many of those fastbreak chances. And he thrived in that role again while playing rangy defense, finishing with 10 points, four rebounds and a couple steals in 17 active minutes.
Fellow big Dylan Disu matched the freshman's energy from the jump. The 6-9 senior was a defensive wrecking ball, finishing with season-highs in rebounds (10), blocks (five) and steals (three) while adding six points and four assists in 20 minutes.
“I just wanted to play hard,” Disu said. “The coaching staff has been challenging me to affect the game on both ends of the floor, so I just try to do that. And they've challenged me to continue to crash the boards and make an impact there as well.”
Mitchell and Disu remain invaluable as highimpact forwards who don't need the ball in their hands too often. This team still runs through fifth-year senior Carr and sophomore Tyrese Hunter, arguably the best backcourt in the Big 12 right now.
That duo scored Texas' first 12 points and combined for 35 on 12-of-23 shooting while finishing with as many steals (four) as turnovers (four). And steady sixth man Sir'Jabari Rice put his silky-smooth game on display again, rolling for 19 points on 8of-13 shooting with five assists against one turnover.
There's a chance Texas could jump to No. 1 in the nation when next week's Associated Press Top 25 poll drops. That hasn't happened since 2010-11, when Rick Barnes' Longhorns spent a couple weeks in the top spot.
But at the very least, Texas can make a legitimate claim to being the nation's best team — so far — in large part because of an opportunistic defense and roaring transition attack fueled by players like Mitchell.
After the game concluded, the Longhorns all shared handshakes and hugs with the family of Leon Black. The former Texas player (1950-53) and coach (1967-76) died last October in Austin at the age of 89.
“We had went out there last summer to his house before coach Black actually passed,” Disu said. “We spent some time with the family, so it meant a lot to have them here and allow us to represent them and coach Black.”